Before I begin looking at specific women in the New Testament, I'd like to say a quick word about church gatherings. To put it bluntly, simple gatherings provide women the opportunity to be involved as the Holy Spirit leads. While simple gatherings may take different forms, they generally allow freedom to speak as led by the Spirit and in line with scriptural parameters. No one present, men or women, is confined by the planned liturgy and ceremony of worship services.
When church meetings become ceremonial in nature, then only those considered experts get to speak much at all. These are usually the salaried clergy. When they dominate the gathering, most of the people present are silent (except when singing). Since most of the clergy are males, it is quite possible that no woman will speak at all during a worship service.
Simple gatherings offer much opportunity for mutual edification. Both men and women can and should be involved in this. The ladies are not artificially limited by man's traditions. Instead, the Holy Spirit can lead as He sees fit.
The church desperately needs its women. Gatherings must give the women every opportunity to use their spiritual gifts to glorify God through body edification. This is another example of simple being best.
4 comments:
What is your honest assessment on Paul's restriction on women speaking in the church gathering in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35?
kierkegaard,
I believe Paul is referring specifically back to what is occurring in 14:29-33. Women, therefore, should not speak words of judgment about words spoken by male prophets.
I as the only male, have the blessing to meet weekly with five females. One is my wife, another my mother in law, the rest friends. I thank God that the domain of ministering in the spirit is not limited to men only!
It has been my delight to draw these ladies away from their church experiences of decades of crushing control from various churches, and into the glorious freedom of daughters of the great king. It has been a long haul of confidence building and deliverance ministry.
They are indeed an inspiration, and our meetings are astonishingly free. As the only man it has certainly been a challenge not to let them just automatically defer to me. I have learned much from their ministry in the Holy Spirit, as they have from mine.
Every one of them is thrilled at what God has done to make them feel like daughters rather than pew fodder. Their walk with God during the week is vibrant with life now that the guilt based expectations of church have been removed.
Frank,
It sounds like a wonderful experience you are having. I'm happy for you. I hope the church will see that women are not second class citizens. As our sisters in Christ, they are just as important as the men are. We must not stand in the way of their ministry giftings.
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